


20 Days of Christmas

by orphan_account



Category: 9-1-1 (TV), Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Will add more as days go on, eventual stucky - Freeform, kind of slashy kind of not, of pretty much anything I can remember I'm into
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:14:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21684325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Just something dumb I put together to do something with my spare time.  and trying to find my bearings as a writer/RPer againSteve and Bucky go through all of December meeting new people and going through things, might even find something new about each other.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	20 Days of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Bucky and Steve do their annual Avengers community outreach tree decorating with the 118 fire department in LA where they get to meet Buck, Eddie, and Christopher, and hand out a butt load of smoke detectors.

There were a lot of places that Bucky had never seen himself being especially after all of the horrible things he had done as The Winter Soldier. But here he was only a few weeks before Christmas on an avenger’s chartered jet with his long-time best bud Steve Rogers sitting across from him eating whatever small snack Tony had bothered stocking this particular plane with, looked like candy canes, mints, and some other traditional holiday candy.

“So this is a thing you all do every year?” asked Bucky. This wasn’t his first holiday in this century but it was his first holiday with Steve actually being welcome back as an avenger. Steve and Bucky had a ton of bridge fires to put out and rebuild and community services were hopefully the best way to get back in the good graces of everyone here.

Steve nodded, “Yeah Buck, it was, all of the Avengers do it, usually we go in two-man teams, JARVIS, well I guess FRIDAY, assigns us a city and a station from the ones that signed up and we go and help decorate trees, light trees, hand out smoke detectors, talk about fire safety, make some kind of speech, hang out with the _real_ heroes then go home basically.” It seemed pretty straight forward, though Bucky had no intention of making a speech tonight or ever, public speaking was _not_ his thing. “Don’t worry Buck, I’ll be doing most of the talking.”

The tension released itself from his body as they flew from New York to Los Angeles. Fire Station 118? A Captain Nash. LA had been through some crazy things this past year and Bucky couldn’t help but sympathize with their need for Captain America. They both had been pardoned and found ‘not guilty’ in Bucky’s case and after the snap, things had mostly been forgiven. Though Bucky Barnes was aware not everything he had done was able to be forgiven, he understood. He just had to try his hardest to make it up to not only himself but everyone else. If he ever could. He stared at his left hand, moving the fingers as if to crack them.

“The arm bothering you? Should we call Shuri?” asked Steve as he looked up from the tablet a candy cane hanging from his mouth.

“No it’s fine,” answered Bucky. He’s quiet for a while before he looks back to Steve. “What are you doing over there anyway?”

“Reading their application,” answered Steve. “We’ll be working with their Captain: Robert Nash, there are a few others who volunteered to show us around as well and help out with the community outreach stuff, Han, Wilson, Buckley, and Diaz.”

“Did you say Bucky?”

“Buck **ley** ” corrected Steve with an emphasis on the latter part of the firefighter's last name. “It’ll be another hour before we get there wanna play cards or something?”

“Sure.”

* * *

“I’m telling you Hen, there is a right way, the wrong way, and the Buck way!” announced Buckley. Two Super Soldiers walked into the Fire House, the trucks parked far enough back to allow for treats and smoke alarms to be passed out, allowing kids to check out the equipment.

“Isn’t the Buck way just the wrong way?” asked Hen.

“But faster,” added another with a hardy laugh. The three of them grinned as they looked toward their new guests. “ah! Captain Rogers, Sargent Barnes! I’m Captain Robert Nash, this is Hen and Buck, welcome to the one eighteen!”

Steve and Bucky took turns shaking hands with the Captain before moving on to Hen and Buck. “I’m Steve Rogers, please Captain just Steve is fine. This is a nice place you have here. I’m really looking forward to helping out with the tree decorating this year.”

“Bucky Barnes,” answered the other. He tried to keep his short and sweet. Steve was so much better at making people comfortable especially after all of that time under Hydras fist. Bucky was still finding himself. It hadn’t helped that he’d really only been free of Hydras programming for weeks maybe months, free from hydra for years but trying to find himself. He wasn’t the same person he was before everything. He hadn’t been that same Bucky Barnes since Steve helped him off that table in Azzano.

“Hey Cap,” shouted a new voice, “Sarge is here with the kids. Buck, Eddie and Christopher are here too.”

Bucky can’t help but turn his attention to anyone that calls for Buck, it's one of Steves's nicknames for his nickname since everyone calls him Bucky. This is going to be a rather long day. And Buckys been going by Bucky for so long he doubts he’d even react to someone calling him James, seeing as the only one to do that was his mother, and Steves Ma when they both got into trouble.

It doesn’t take Buck long to excuse himself to help this ‘Eddie’ person. Captain Nash and Hen are much more relaxed about going to visit the Sarge who is with the kids. “We hope you don’t mind,” started Captain Nash. “My wife's kids are huge fans of the Avengers, so is Christopher, we were hoping to get them here before you arrived but you guys came early.”

Steve looks toward Bucky to try and see if he has any objects, he’s quiet but that’s pretty normal around new people now. Steve doesn’t see and distress in Buckys features. “It’s fine, it’s why we’re here! Something for the kids right?”

“They are also here to work,” added Athena. “That was the deal, they get to meet Captain America they have to pull their weight and help for the event today.” The Sargent walked over to Captain Nash and looped her arm around the captains. She was decorated in her police uniform, and if Bucky had to guess either she was coming off a shift or just about to go onto one. “Sargent Athena Nash, Captain Rogers, Sargent Barnes it’s a pleasure to meet you. I wish I could stay longer but duty calls.”

“We understand Sargent, please just call me Steve. It was a pleasure to meet you.” Bucky wordlessly took his turn in shaking her hand after Steve. She seemed nice, he could only hope that the rest of the day went well. Bucky still had anxiety about how people viewed him even after being pardoned of the 70 years under HYDRA brainwashing.

“May, Henry, Listen to Bobby, I’ll come by to help clean up after my shift is over,” warned Athena as she let go of her husband and hugged her children, both too star-struck to really say anything.

“’Kay Mom,” followed by a “Bye” and Captain Nash wished her a safe patrol before turning back to their guests. Athena walked out of the Firehouse with ease, and Bucky watched her hold the door open for another man and a kid followed by Buck. Bucky took one look at the kid and could only see pre-serum Steve. Strong soul but his body just didn’t reflect what he felt on the inside.

Steve smiled awkwardly to the two kids, his Captain America persona not quite in place yet. He’d get the hang of it once everything was set up. The younger of the two had stars in his eyes. “What’s Falcon like?” It was blurted out, and Steve couldn’t tell if the kid had meant to ask it or not but Steve would answer anyway. 

“He’s a great man, I’m glad to call him my friend,” grinned Steve in his Captain America voice. 

“Alright you two, Help Chimney with the cookies and goodie bags, and help Buck with the tables,” ordered Captain Nash. Steve turned to Bucky and was surprised to find he wasn’t glued right to his side. But a few feet away Bucky kneeled down the child talking excitedly about the metal arm, and how great his Dad, the Firefighter Eddie Diaz was. How he got to spend a lot of time with Buck when he wasn’t allowed to be on emergency calls, how he had been with Buck when the snap happened. How he had Dusted during the snap, turned to dust before Bucks eyes.

Steve and Captain Nash approached the others, Nash being the first to say something. “Buck, the tables and covers are all ready for you. Can you handle it?”

“Sure, Cap,” answered Buck. He walked off to set up the tables, This was going to be fun. Steve turned back to the father and son talking with Bucky. 

They had moved on to something else for conversation before Christopher moved on to wanting to help organize the smoke detectors with Buck. Eddie watches his son as he makes his way over to the smoke detector table, Bucks already set up the cookie station and the ornament station. The tree set up in the corner of the firehouse had been there for a while. Empty now but by the end of the day hopefully much more colorful, and filled with donated toys.

Eddie turns to the two superheroes. “I can’t thank you two enough for bringing my Son back to me, for bringing everyone back, those 5 years without him were hell. Just thank you.”

Steve smiled at the father, he put a hand on his shoulder. The snap was hard for everyone. It had been blind to who it had taken, Friends, Lovers, children, parents, husbands, wives, the good people, the questionable people. It wasn’t the first time they had been told they had returned their world to them. Steve couldn’t imagine a father losing a kid, losing Bucky had been bad enough. Watching him turn to Dust, he still had nightmares.

_Steve?_

_Steve_

“Stevie!” shouted Bucky. That brought Steve back to the here and now. No longer pulling himself into the past, a horrible past. He looks at Eddie flashing him his Captain America smile. 

He never really knows what to say to people who thank him for fixing the Snap, for bringing back people who were dusted. He’s been thanked so many times and no matter what he says he never feels like he says the right thing. 

* * *

The firehouse was full of people, parents, children, teens, all excited to get cookies and candy, to get their picture taken with Captain America! The line surrounding Steve was huge, Bucky couldn’t even see Steves feet with how many kids were crowding him. He lifted on kid onto his shoulders, the parents getting a picture. Then another pose with a kid with a plastic shield. Then a little girl in a blue and striped dress. Another a little boy in a winter soldier t-shirt. It was humbling to watch. 

“So how hard is it to get into that jacket? Looks complicated,” stated Buck.

Bucky and Steve had changed into their gear before the event, their civies were safely packed away in a spare locker that Captain Nash had said they were able to use. Bucky only shrugged as he handed another smoke detector to another parent and another goodie bag to the child that accompanied said parent. 

“It’s not bad once you get used to it, there is a science to zipping it up with the straps,” explained Bucky. Bucky looked up when he saw Steve motion to Bucky. The event was coming to a close and they were needed near the big Christmas tree outside the firehouse, in the parking lot. 

The smaller tree inside was already decorated with many paper angels, wishes that children had made for the upcoming season on the tree a few new toys for the toys for tots drive. It was a great turn out. And the event was coming to an end soon. The fire house was full of people and once everyone left Bucky and Steve would stay behind and clean up before heading back to the jet and returning to New York. 

It wasn’t as chilly as he expected to be outside. A podium had been set up in front of the tree, lights had been strung up through the branches. And it didn’t take long for Steve to settle in the spotlight and start on his speech. Bucky doesn’t really listen to what Steve has to say, he scans the crowd ensuring his friend is safe, looking out for any trouble. They are at their most vulnerable, Bucky has made a ton of progress in being Bucky Barnes again, but there are still elements of the Winter Soldier that he can’t get rid of, that he might never be rid of. Soon enough he notices Steve step away and allow Captain Nash of the 118 to speak as well. 

Bucky steps over to Steve as Captain Nash turns to the cities guests. “We want to extend a huge thank you to Captain Rodgers and Sargent Barnes for joining us for tonight's tree lighting ceremony! It would be our honor if you two would please light the tree.” 

And thats what they do, plug the electrical cords into one another and the tree is lit up with tiny lights and its really pretty against the darkening sky. The crowd cheers and after a while, the number of people begins to thin out as Captain Nash guides them back inside where they others have started packing up and getting ready for any possible emergencies that might arise. 

Clean up had been pretty easy, between two super soldiers and the kids clean up went rather quickly. The tables and chairs were put away the crayons and colored pencils were put back into their hiding spots likely to be used for a later event. And now the firehouse was mostly quiet, May and Henry sitting on a bench May glued to her phone likely texting her friends about working with Captain America and Bucky wasn’t sure exactly what Henry was doing. Christopher was still in awe, but his father was gathering his things. “Come on Christopher, it’s getting late. You have school tomorrow. “ He turns away from his son to yell off into the distance. “Buck! Come on, if you want a ride home you better hurry up!” 

“Okay, Dad. Can we say goodbye to Mr. Steve and Mr. Bucky?”

Eddie smiled, “of course Buddy.” Eddie walked with his son to the two Super Heroes still in their tactical gear. “Would we be able to get a picture before we leave? It would really make our day.”

Steve smiled, “Yeah of course. Maybe we should get one with the entire firehouse?” offered Steve. Eddie got his phone ready as Steve kneeled down next to Christopher. Bucky moved to get out of the way. 

“Sargent Barnes, would you mind getting in the picture too?” asked Eddie.

Bucky was surprised to hear such a request. But he did as requested, kneeled down on the other side of Christopher, the kid having the biggest grin on his face before had an even larger grin now that the Winter Soldier had joined in on the picture. Eddie took a few pictures before Athena walked into the fire house. “Looks like I missed all the fun.”

“Actually you’re just in time, you want to take a picture of us all with the Captain and Sargent Barnes?” asked Captain Nash.

“What’s in it for me?” teased Athena. 

“Maybe the Captain and Sargent of LAFD and LAPD can get a photo with probably the most famous Captain and Sargent?” asked Robert more than stated.

“Okay, everyone get in close,” stated Athena, “Say Cheese!”


End file.
